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Wine Suggestions...

AmandaSC1988AmandaSC1988 member
First Comment First Anniversary
in Military Brides
I am going to come out and admit it right now; I am not a wine connoisseur by any means. I love to drink wine but to me, wine is wine is wine.
  The part about wedding planning I have been looking forward to the most is picking out the booze for the reception, the best check ever? I think yes!  We are having 2 types of beer (probably light/dark...that is up to FI because I’m not a huge beer fan), 2 types of wine (red/white), a couple of signature cocktails, and of course a Champaign toast. (Just a note: food wise we are having heavy appetizers so the wines don’t necessarily have to complement the food)
 
 Anyway, he is picking out some beers and I am picking out some wines, and then we are having a night of drinking to find the options we both love. (Oh Yes!)

 Once most of you ladies are big wine drinkers, I would appreciate some suggestions for FI and me to try.   


So, tell me your favorite wines …and GO!

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Re: Wine Suggestions...

  • divinemsbeedivinemsbee member
    First Anniversary 5 Love Its First Comment
    edited December 2011
    I do love me some Cupcake wines, the Red Velvet is awesome-sauce. The Coppola winery is also surprisingly good, their Claret is awesome (and always on sale at World Market). I'm a big Grenache and Malbec girl, so a lot of what I buy comes from South America and Spain. Beaujolais is a  French wine that comes out every year and is really easy drinking and generally pretty cheap to get by the case.

    As far as whites go, I'm not really good at that, I know that I really am not a Chardonnay fan because I hate the oak in a lot of them. I do like my Reislings a little drier because I don't like sweet wine, but I don't have any good brand names for you.
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  • firemedicrrfiremedicrr
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    As far as whites go, I really like Chenin Blanc (but in my experience it can be kinda hard to find in the states). Moscato is good if you want a sweet white wine (Kroger carries a brand that's like 9 dollars a bottle that is sweet and sorta fizzy but isn't champagne... and it's really good, I know several people who have used it as their toast wine). 

    As far as reds go, I like Merlot and Shiraz... 

    okay, I have never found a wine I -didn't- like. Maybe I'm a bad person to ask. haha
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  • matchamatcha
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    It all depends if you like a dry wine or  a sweet wine. If you aren't sure, try a semi-dry. Also, if there are any vineyards around where you live, they usually offer really cheap wine tastings ($3 for 8 is common where I live) and let you find out what you like. Many wine specialty stores also offer tastings. 

    I love a Malbec (from the mountains of Argentina) for red and a semi-dry Riesling for white.  My favorite Reislings are from the fingerlake area of New York.  Americana, Dr. Frank Konstantin, and Wagner are my favorite Reisling brands.They are usually in the $10-15 range.  For the Malbec, I like a Bianchi or Budini, which are usually around $10.
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  • melbelle24melbelle24 member
    First Anniversary First Comment
    edited December 2011
    As far as a white... Reisling is good, but it might be too sweet for some. Chardonnay seems to be the typical white people serve as weddings and such events, but it's another that always seems a little hit or miss to me. A family friend who runs/event-plans for a country club around here actually suggested pinot grigio as a good middle-line popular white. I can't think of any specific brands to try at the moment though. For reds, I love...well, pretty much all of them. Pinot noir is a good entry-level red. Merlot, cab, zinfandels are all a stronger, fuller-body wines. I love Little Black Dress, for pinots, merlots, or cabernets. It's good and pretty cheap too!
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  • crownsuperstarcrownsuperstar member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    I have become a fan of all Yellow Tail kind.  They are not very expensive and still have a good taste.  You can not got wrong with a grigio. This site might help too.  At least it could give you ideas of where to start.  http://www.wines.com/ Also do you have a Total Wine store near you?  Some times they can have really good people that know what they are talking about.  Also is there a smaller winery around you?  Perhaps go there for a wine tasting.  Fun and local.  Great combo!
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  • matchamatcha
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    http://www.basic-wine-knowledge.com/index.html

    Thats a pretty good website for some basic information, including what the heck we mean when we say "dry" (not sugary). :-)

    Also, a lot of wines range from dry to sweet (dry, semi-dry, semi-sweet, sweet). There are lots of dry Rieslings that aren't sweet (I don't like sweet wines). You can find semi-sweet Pinot Noirs and dry Pinot Noirs.  You just need to take some time to figure out what you like!  

    My group of friends had a "wine Wednesday" party in which everyone would bring a $10 or under bottle of wine to share.  That way everyone could try different types of wine as well as affordable brands.  :-)
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  • crownsuperstarcrownsuperstar member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    Mel- I love the Little Black Dress.  I bought that just because I loved the name and ended up loving the wine too!
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  • BinxRoseBinxRose member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    For a sweet white, I like Chateau St. Michelle Reisling
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  • divinemsbeedivinemsbee member
    First Anniversary 5 Love Its First Comment
    edited December 2011
    In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_military-brides_wine-suggestions?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:13Discussion:79fb63a4-f68b-4d1d-9912-4c745eb22454Post:7488440a-8d14-4efb-abaf-8c8b464939e8">Re: Wine Suggestions...</a>:
    [QUOTE]For a sweet white, I like Chateau St. Michelle Reisling
    Posted by BinxRose[/QUOTE]

    When I worked in restaurants, this was by far the most popular white wine we served.
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  • crownsuperstarcrownsuperstar member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_military-brides_wine-suggestions?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special Topic Wedding BoardsForum:13Discussion:79fb63a4-f68b-4d1d-9912-4c745eb22454Post:2f6594c3-edbe-45f7-94b3-6555ee86d914">Re: Wine Suggestions...</a>:
    [QUOTE]In Response to Re: Wine Suggestions... : When I worked in restaurants, this was by far the most popular white wine we served.
    Posted by divinemsbee[/QUOTE]

    Yes indeed.  We order that if it is on the wine list.  I love it. 
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  • calindicalindi member
    First Anniversary Combo Breaker First Comment
    edited December 2011
    Two types of beer???!!! I'd probably cry.  Is it more expensive to have more variety?

    If it doesn't cost more money, I'd suggest at least 3-4 types of beer.  One standard ale, one light ale (so Miller/Bud/Coors and the light version).  These will be super cheap and will satisfy probably 60-70% of beer drinkers.

    Then I'd suggest going with a local pale/golden/amber/pilsner.  Something with a bit of character, that will add "local flavor" to your menu.  I'd be thrilled to try something new that was from the area around the wedding, or near where the bride & groom were taking their honeymoon, or whatever. If you need any suggestions, I'm happy to help.

    If you want to add a fourth, I'd say a darker beer, like a port or stout.  Guinness is the 'tried and true' in this category, but there are tons of good, affordable varieties.


    Okay, wine.... honestly, most people aren't going to be ordering the brand, and there are a lot of good wines that are sold in boxes and such that work really well for weddings. 

    If you're only having two wines, I'd say go with a Merlot or Cabernet Savignon for the red, and a Chardonnay or a Pinot Grigio for the white.  I love Reisling, but it doesn't pair as well with meals, and it isn't as "standard" for wedding fare.  Plus sweet wines can give people headaches.  Trust me, I'll buy a Reisling before a Pinot Grigio or a Chardonnay most days, but I wouldn't serve that and no other whites at a wedding.  If you're going to offer it, I'd suggest a red (Merlot or Cab Sav), a white (Pinot Grigio or Chardonnay) and a sweet or rose wine.

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  • IrishcurlsIrishcurls member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_military-brides_wine-suggestions?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:13Discussion:79fb63a4-f68b-4d1d-9912-4c745eb22454Post:7488440a-8d14-4efb-abaf-8c8b464939e8">Re: Wine Suggestions...</a>:
    [QUOTE]For a sweet white, I like Chateau St. Michelle Reisling
    Posted by BinxRose[/QUOTE]
    Best friends!!!! Their sauv blanc is one of my favs too!
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  • AmandaSC1988AmandaSC1988 member
    First Comment First Anniversary
    edited December 2011
    Thank you ladies! The more I think through this, I will probably just trying to get a bunch of the "types" of wine, see which ones we like..and then dive into different 'brands.'  (is that the correct wine lingo!?)  I really like the idea of using a local winery, but the drought and extreme heat this past summer has made Oklahoma Wines a bit hard to come by.

    We had thought about doing boxed wine (which we may  still do), but it has been pretty customary in my family that certain family members get a bottle of wine from the couple... And I'd rather not hand over a box of wine at the end of the night. But we may just get special bottles for those people...or maybe do champagne bottles instead. 

    Cal- I don't want anyone to cry! Haha. Seriously I have no idea about beer, I just said 2, but that is up to FI to choose. FI and his family are a bit of beer snobs so I leave it up to them. The one thing I don't want is beer cans anywhere in my pictures. Bottles, fine, but I don't want cans (is that an awful request? haha).  I also don't want any of my friends to decide they want to shotgun a beer.
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  • tyleet87tyleet87 member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    I don't know very much about wine but this thread is making me thirsty...

    I hope you don't mind if I jot down a few of these names.
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  • calindicalindi member
    First Anniversary Combo Breaker First Comment
    edited December 2011
    Amanda, I wouldn't want cans at my wedding, either.  Even bottles, I think we're going to have poured into plastic cups once dinner is over because I don't want broken glass on the dance floor!

    If they're beer fans, they'll know what they like.  Even still, 2 standard beers (reg & lite) will cover the vast majority of your guests.  Then add in a few fun ones that he likes or that have special meaning or give you guys a laugh (one of my favorites is called "Rogue Dead Guy Ale").  If you can do kegs, do that - it's wayyyyy cheaper in the long run, and they can just pour it into cups!

    We're not allowed to have kegs at our venue, so we're having bottles.  Since we're supplying our own beer/wine (not having any hard alcohol, other alternative is sangria), we can have as many types as we want.  So far, we have 8 kinds of beer and 6 types of wine!  But we're wacko like that, and it's a passion of ours, so it's important to us (plus it doesn't cost any extra, so that's a big selling point for me).

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  • calindicalindi member
    First Anniversary Combo Breaker First Comment
    edited December 2011
    Also, for wine, check out to see if whoever is supplying your wine/beer will let you do a taster.  If it's your venue or caterer, they probably will, and if it's a liquor store, they almost definitely will.

    You honestly don't need to be spending over $5/bottle for wine by the case, unless your venue/caterer requires purchasing through them and they mark them up.  Barefoot has some good wines, as does YellowTail.  And this comes from a wine snob!!! 

    If you can offer multiple types, I'd go with:


    WHITES - Approximately 40 bottles out of 100
    Pinot Grigio (1/4 your white)
    Savignon Blanc (1/4 your white)
    Chardonnay  (1/2 your white)

    BLUSH - Approximately 10 bottles out of 100
    White Zinfindel
    Moscato (can also be a white, but it's a sweeter wine that tends to go in this category)

    RED - Approximately 50 bottles out of 100, focus on Merlot and Cab Sav
    Merlot
    Cabernet Savignon
    Pinot Noir
    Malbec or Shiraz

    The brand is the company, the type refers to the type of grape used or the region where it's produced (like 'Burgundy' or 'Champagne' are regions in France, but Pinot Grigio and Pinot Noir are made with the pinot grape).  Anyway, a good wine store will probably have someone who can walk you through it all.  Or just try out a few bottles of each of those types and pick the ones you like.

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  • BinxRoseBinxRose member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_military-brides_wine-suggestions?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special Topic Wedding BoardsForum:13Discussion:79fb63a4-f68b-4d1d-9912-4c745eb22454Post:2f6594c3-edbe-45f7-94b3-6555ee86d914">Re: Wine Suggestions...</a>:
    [QUOTE]In Response to Re: Wine Suggestions... : When I worked in restaurants, this was by far the most popular white wine we served.
    Posted by divinemsbee[/QUOTE]

    Yup...I was a server at Olive Garden for a few years in college. That's what got me hooked!
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  • BinxRoseBinxRose member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_military-brides_wine-suggestions?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special Topic Wedding BoardsForum:13Discussion:79fb63a4-f68b-4d1d-9912-4c745eb22454Post:3ba17dae-2121-472c-ac3e-c6e7f0218425">Re: Wine Suggestions...</a>:
    [QUOTE]In Response to Re: Wine Suggestions... : Best friends!!!! Their sauv blanc is one of my favs too!
    Posted by Irishcurls[/QUOTE]

    :-) I will have to try their sauv blanc!
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  • divinemsbeedivinemsbee member
    First Anniversary 5 Love Its First Comment
    edited December 2011
    In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_military-brides_wine-suggestions?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:13Discussion:79fb63a4-f68b-4d1d-9912-4c745eb22454Post:ead11bcc-12e9-4131-8e41-a420e6c26bc8">Re: Wine Suggestions...</a>:
    [QUOTE]In Response to Re: Wine Suggestions... : Yup...I was a server at Olive Garden for a few years in college. That's what got me hooked!
    Posted by BinxRose[/QUOTE]

    Ha, a fellow OG. I was, too. So I have a person on this board for each of my longer term coporate food service gigs. You from OG and FTL from Sbux. I know that shouldn't seem weird, but it is, in a cool way.
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  • BinxRoseBinxRose member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    OG is never cool! Haha :) I'm just glad they stopped making us sing the Bona Festa song while I was still there. Finally realized it was wasting everyone's time and money! The only thing I miss about that job was my co-workers and the awesome college parties we threw after we left work. Can't say I miss dressing like a man!!!
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  • IrishcurlsIrishcurls member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_military-brides_wine-suggestions?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:13Discussion:79fb63a4-f68b-4d1d-9912-4c745eb22454Post:9c4f5188-9112-4326-b908-ba1c3eadc06f">Re: Wine Suggestions...</a>:
    [QUOTE]In Response to Re: Wine Suggestions... : Ha, a fellow OG. I was, too. So I have a person on this board for each of my longer term coporate food service gigs. You from OG and FTL from Sbux. I know that shouldn't seem weird, but it is, in a cool way.
    Posted by divinemsbee[/QUOTE]
    I was a barista too!!! :)
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